Generally, an ink-jet recording method is used in many fields since desired designs and characters can be printed.
Recently, a recording medium having both surfaces on which designs or characters are printed by the ink-jet recording method is desired.
Examples of the method of carrying out printing on both surfaces of a recording medium by the ink-jet recording method include a batch-type method in which printing is carried out twice by the same ink-jet recording apparatus.
In this method, for example, printing is carried out on one of the surfaces of the recording medium by the ink-jet recording method, the recording medium is then reversed, and printing is carried out on the other surface of the recording medium by the ink-jet recording method.
However, in this batch-type method, if the medium is not dried once, the image thereon may be blurred since a large amount of ink has to be applied depending on the design thereof. Therefore, continuous printing cannot be carried out, and the method lacks productivity.
On the other hand, an ink-jet recording apparatus having two printing units and a drier(s) is known (for example, see Patent Document 1 or 2).
According to the ink-jet recording apparatus, printing on both surfaces of a recording medium can be continuously carried out.